Toothbrush holder



Feb. 28, 1933. A. M NAB TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed March 2, 1932 INVENTOR.ALt'X/INDER M N/IB.

4TTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1933;

UNITED STATES ICNAB, '0! BRDGEPOR'I, CONNECTICUT TOOTHBBUSE HOLDERApplication fled latch 11, 1882. Serial No. 598,185.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tooth brushholders or supports and has for an object to provide a tooth brushholder or support by means of which a tooth brush may be attached to orsupported from any relatively smooth surface.

Another object is to provide a tooth brush holder or support including asuction cup carried by or attached to the tooth brush handle whereby itis conveniently located and always available for use to mount orsupport-the tooth brush. V

A further object is to provide a tooth brush holder or support includinga tubular portion adapted to receive the tooth brush handle and form agrip portion and which adjacent its outer end carries a suction cupadapted to be used for mounting or supporting the tooth brush as from avertical surface.

An additional object is to provide a tooth brush holder or supporthaving the characteristics stated and which is so constructed as to beremovable from the handle of one tooth brush and applicable to thehandle of another whereby when a worn brush is to be discarded theimproved holder may be removed from the worn brush and applied to a newone.

Other objects" and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein two satisfactory embodiments of theinvention are shown. However, it will be understood that the drawing andthe following detailed description are for the purpose of making clearsatisfactory embodiments of the invention in order-that the principlethereof may be understood and that the invention is not limited to thedetails disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications asfall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing my improvedholder as in position on the handle of a tooth brush and supporting thebrush in vertical position as for draining;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing a modified construction ofsupporting means;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the end portion of the tooth brushhandle;

Fig.- 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a suction cupemployed; 5 Fig. 6 is a detail view on an enlarged scale the view beingpartially in section and taken through the outer end portion of thebrush handle; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale the view being takensubstantially along the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and at first particularly to Figs. 1and 2 thereof, the reference character 10 generally indicates a toothbrush of any or the usual construction and, including a tufted head 11and an elongated handle or shank 12. My improved support generallyindicated by the reference character 13 is preferably formed entirely ofrubber and includes a hollow sleeve like portion 14 adapted to receive alarge portion of the handle 12 as shown and on its outer surface thissleeve may be knurled or roughened as shown whereby the sleeve forms agrip portion.

At its outer end the sleeve 14 carries a small suction cup 15 preferablyformed integral with the sleeve whereby the entire support 13 is formedin one piece. This sleeve 14 is of such size or internal dimension thatit tightly grips the handle whereby the handle may not fall out of thesleeve or grip and whereby during use of the brush the handle will nothave movement relative to the grip. The support is rendered operative bypressing the hollow side of the cup 15 against a smooth surface as apiece of glass or the tile wall of the bathroom or the like and when thedevice is then released the suction cup will function to support thebrush. Preferably the brush is supported in a vertical position assuggested in the drawing whereby the brush will drain.

In cases where bathrooms are not provided with tooth brush holders andin cases where bathrooms are tiled without built-in tooth --brush racks,and it is difficult for a tenant to mount the same, tooth brushes arefrequently left lying on shelves as of medicine cabinets and arefrequently disposed in tumblers.

Where the wet brushes are left on shelves, as

the glass shelves of a medicine cabinet or the glass shelves frequentlyprovided adjacent a wash stand, the water draining from the brushesflows over the shelves rendering them unsightly and unsanitary.Moreover, where tumblers are used to hold the tooth brushes severaldifferent persons may put their brush in the same tumbler which is anextremely unsanitary practice and where but one person is using atumbler such person may neglect to frequently change the water and cleanthe tumbler and take other sanitary precautions. With the present devicetooth brushes are independently supported and difierent users of thetoilet facilities of the bathroom may keep their brushes spaced apart adesirable distance and the brushes may always be suspended in a positionfor draining when the have been washed after use. In'using a brusequipped with the supporting means of Figs. 1 and 2 the sleeve portion14 being roughened or knurled on its outer surface provides a good gripeven after becoming wet during use of the brush. Y 7

Referring now to the form of invention shown in Figs. 3 through 7, thebrush 10 includes the head 11 and the handle or shank 12.

Toward its outer end the handle 12 is provided with an opening 16 fromwhich extends a relatively narrow slot 17 A portion of the brush at oneside of this slot may be removed to provide a counter-sink 18. To thisend portion of the brush there is attached a suction cup 19 including aflat shank 20 and a head or button 21.

This cup is mounted on the tooth brush handle 12 by inserting the head21 of the cup through theopening 16 in the handle and by then aligningthe fiat shank 20 with the slot 17 and shifting the cup outwardly so asto dispose this shank 20 in the slot 17 and dispose the head or button21 of the suction cup in the outer end portion of the counter-sink 18 asshown in Figs. 6 and 7. As the head 21 of the suction cup is ofconsiderabl eater diameter than the width of the slot 1 t c said headfunctions to prevent the cup from being pulled loose from the toothbrush handle.

Since this head is disposed in the countersink 18 it lies flush with theouter surface of the brush handle as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 6, and 7and does notdetract from the appearance of the brush. After the suctioncup is mounted on the handle or attachedto the handle as above describedthe cup is used to support the brush as shown in'F'ig. 3 and toaccomplish this it is but necessary to press the cup against asupporting wall or the like as above explained and the cup will thensupport the brush in a vertical position for draining.

The sanitary advantages as pointed out in connection with Figs. 1 and 2apply also to the device as shown in Fig. 3 and it will be noted thatthe suction cup is disposed in the same direction as the brush bristleswhereby when the cup is in use the bristles will be substantiallyconcealed since they will be projecting in the direction of the wall orother supporting surface to which the brush is attached. It will also benoted that the suction cup in both forms of the invention is located insuch a manner that when using the brush the end of the brush handle willnot dig into the hand of the user but will be cushioned by the suctioncup. 7

In connection with the illustrated embodiments of the invention it willbe particularly noted that the suction cup is located at the outer endof the tooth brush handle,therefore, when the brush is to be use'd'thebrush handle will function as a lever in loosening the suction cup. Thatis, the head of the brush may be grasped and swung outwardly breakingthe seal between the lower or inner edge of the suction cup and thesupporting surface whereupon the brushis loosened and ready for use.After the brush has been used and it is desired to again support it bymeans of the suction cup the cup will have become wet during use of thebrush as from the hands of the user and it will be but necessary topress the cup against the desired supporting surface and then release itto place it in operation as above described. As the cup is attached tothe tooth brush the cup is always in position ready for use and there isno danger of the support or holder being misplaced or lost. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, asuction cup, means securing said cup on the handle whereby the "up isdisposed to face laterally of the handle adjacent the end thereof, saidmeans preventing rotation of the handle about its longitudinal axisrelative to the cup, and 'said cup adapted to be brought into engagementwith a substantially vertical surface whereby to have the cup supportthe brush in a substantially vertical position.

2. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, asuction cup, means securing said cup on the tooth brush handle wherebythe cup is disposed to face laterally of the handle in the direction inwhich the bristles extend from the brush, said means preventing rotationof the handle about its longitudinal axis relative to the cup, and saidwith a substantially smooth surface to support the brush in positionwith its bristles facing said surface.

3; In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, asuction cup, means removably securing said cup on the tooth brush handlewhereby the cup is disposed to face cup adapted to be brought. intoengagement laterally of the handle in the direction in which thebristles extend from the brush, said suction cup arranged adjacent theouter end of the handle, said means preventing rotation of the handleabout its longitudinal axis relative to the cup, and said cup adapted tobe brought into engagement with a substan-' tially smooth surface tosupport the brush in position with its bristles facing said surface.

4. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeveadapted to receive the end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip thesame, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion ofthe length of the handle to form a hand grip and a suction cup carriedby the outer end portion of said sleeve and adapted to be brought intoengagement with a surface to support the brush from said surface.

5. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeveadapted to receive the'end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip thesame, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion ofthe length of the handle to form ahand grip, a suction cup carried bysaid sleeve and adapted to be brought into engagement witha surface tosupportthe brush from said surface, and said sleeve roughenedon itsouter surface whereby to provide a hand grip.

6. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeveadapted to receive the end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip thesame, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion ofthe length of the handle to form a handvgrip, a suction cup integralwith said sleeve, said cup facing laterally of the sleeve, and saidsurface.

cup adapted to be broughtinto en agement with a surface to support thebrush rom said 7. In combination, a tooth brush including a handlehaving a hole therethrough adjacent one of its ends, a suction cup, saidsuction cup having a stem snugly received in said hole and mounting thesuction cup on the handle and securing the suction cup and handle together against relative turning movement about the longitudinal axis ofthe handle, and said suction cup. adapted to be' pressed against arelatively smooth surface to support the tooth brush from said surface.a 1

8. In combination, a tooth brush includingan elongated handle, saidhandle having a said stem and disposed in said counter-sink whereby toprevent the stem being pulled out of the slot. 1

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State ofConnecticut, this 26th day of February, A. D. 1932.

I ALEXANDER McNAB.

transversely extending opening therethrough said handle having arelatively narrow 3 extending radially from said'openi'n a suction cup,said suction cup having a at sided shank and a head on the outer end ofsaid shank, and said suction cup mounted on said handle with its flatsided shank po'rtiondisposed in the slot in the handle and with its headdisposed at the outer side of said slot.

9. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, saidbrush having a

